Differences in session variable declaration

Hi, I have the following hook

PHP Code:

class LanguageLoader
{
  function initialize() {
    $ci =& get_instance();
    $ci->load->helper('language');

    $site_lang = $_SESSION['site_lang']; 
    //$site_lang = $ci->session->site_lang;
    if ($site_lang) {
        $ci->lang->load('general', $site_lang);
    } else {
        $ci->lang->load('general', 'english');
    }
  }

} 


With the line

PHP Code:

$site_lang = $_SESSION['site_lang']; 


I get the following error

PHP Code:

A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Notice

Message: Undefined index: site_lang

Filename: hooks/LanguageLoader.php

Line Number: 12

Backtrace:

File: C:\xampp\htdocs\availability-calendar\application\hooks\LanguageLoader.php
Line: 12
Function: _error_handler

File: C:\xampp\htdocs\availability-calendar\index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once 


but replacing it with

PHP Code:

$site_lang = $ci->session->site_lang; 


resolves the problem. I'm curious to know what the issue was though. Thanks.

When using:

PHP Code:

$CI =& get_instance(); 


Your getting CodeIgniter's Controller Class.

Are you loading the Session library in the Controller or are you Autoloading it?

What did you Try? What did you Get? What did you Expect?

Joined CodeIgniter Community 2009.  ( Skype: insitfx )

@n2fole00

It could be what value is returned between the two. You could do a var_dump on both values and see what is returned that should give you the answer that you seek.

When using:

PHP Code:

$CI =& get_instance(); 


Your getting CodeIgniter's Controller Class.

Are you loading the Session library in the Controller or are you Autoloading it?

I'm autoloading it.

@n2fole00

It could be what value is returned between the two.  You could do a var_dump on both values and see what is returned that should give you the answer that you seek.

They both return the same thing. The error occurs when the value is NULL.

Then use isset method on it to see if it contains a value or not.

What did you Try? What did you Get? What did you Expect?

Joined CodeIgniter Community 2009.  ( Skype: insitfx )

@n2fole00,

They both are null but one causes an errors and the other doesn't? That can't be right. There is a difference. That is the only reason why one would work and the other not work.

InsiteFX made a excellent suggestion as well.

@n2fole00,

They both are null but one causes an errors and the other doesn't?  That can't be right.  There is a difference.  That is the only reason why one would work and the other not work.

InsiteFX made a excellent suggestion as well.

This is what I was thinking, but what could be the difference? var_dump should give me the output isset would test for.

@n2fole00,

What was the exact var_dump for each variable?

@n2fole00,

What was the exact var_dump for each variable?

PHP Code:

$site_lang2 = $_SESSION['site_lang'];
$site_lang = $ci->session->site_lang;

echo "site_lang: ";
var_dump($site_lang);
echo "site_lang2: ";
var_dump($site_lang2);
echo "isset: ";
var_dump(isset($site_lang2)); 


Code:

site_lang: NULL site_lang2: NULL isset: bool(false)